Tattoos are all the rage at MIT these days: researchers at the university have recently produced prototypes that point to the future of biotech, from electronic tattoos that serve as interfaces to tattoos that change color based on body chemistry. The latest? A tattoo made of living ink–genetically programmed cells that activate when exposed to different types of stimuli. While right now that means
they light up when they come in contact with particular molecular compounds, there are exciting potential applications: the tattoos could be designed so that they respond to environmental pollutants or changes in temperature. That means that sometime in the future, we could all be walking around with living, responsive tattoos that tell us when it’s not safe to go outside because air pollution levels are dangerous, or even just act as a temperature gauge right on your body. READ MORE
